Hymn 319:4, “Tis Not in Vain to Yield”
Tis not in vain and it is worth it! Sometimes in a storm, we can’t see the end from the beginning but we can sing it is not in vain and we can sing it with reassurance because of victory in our lives. “Tis not in vain though hardness we endure, for through it all, of blessing we are sure. And if we finish in the race, with joy one day we’ll meet Him face to face.” We experience blessing by the grace of God. It’s not in vain to yield ourselves each day. It’s worth it! This year we sat at the bedside of a dying person. It was a privilege to be with the family and it was worth it. There are many lessons to learn and we feel reassured again that it is worth it. Because of putting our life in God’s hand, and experiencing victory, we have reassurance to go on.
We are given promises in the scriptures and we cling to them for it reassures us. Hebrews 13:20, “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.” The God of peace who brought us from the dead has promised to be with us and work in us and make us perfect in every good work. We cling to that promise. It’s a reassurance to us. 1 John 3:2 is a promise that we shall be like Him if we are dead to every natural thing but alive to the spiritual. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him: for we shall see Him as He is.” Often when people are elderly, they forget all they have once known but they remember very clearly the day the gospel came, and that is a reassurance to us. Every step is worth it!
There is a beautiful depth of spirit and peace to a person’s death when they are in the will of God. The promise in Psalm 126:5 is, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” A man professed on his deathbed. It was very evident there was peace in his life. It’s a beautiful death when there is peace. It’s worth it to sow seed in the ministry. The second verse of hymn 319 says, “Tis not in vain to die to sin and be a living offering to Him.”
2 Corinthians 14-16, “Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.” My dying to self encourages another to die to self – a savour of life unto life. Jesus endured the cross and despised the shame. It was worth it! I appreciate the dying that brings depth to your testimony; that encourages us. Continue on with the hope and reassurance that it is worth it.